Middlesbrough captain George Boateng insists he's never considered his future on Teesside this season.

He told the Evening Gazette: "I never questioned my future. I signed a contract and I was always happy because my family are settled.

"Because the club were in a bad situation, I felt I was needed.

"If the team were winning and I was on the bench and not needed, then I would start thinking about my situation.

"But because the team were losing, I knew I was the one who was needed to help them out of this situation."